Filter-paper insert for preparing filtered coffee, and method for producing said filter-paper insert

ABSTRACT

A filter-paper insert ( 1 ) for preparing filtered coffee wherein, to alter the flavor of filtered coffee, the filter-paper insert ( 1 ) is provided with a coating ( 3 ) comprising a flavoring agent that forms a flavoring carrier, as well as a carrier material and a solvent. A coating ( 3 ) of this type can be sprayed or imprinted onto the filter-paper of the filter-paper insert ( 1 ), or otherwise applied to it, and dries relatively quickly following the application. Despite this, the flavoring agents are incorporated into the coating ( 3 ), and are reactivated when the hot brewing water flows through the filter-paper insert ( 1 ) for preparing filtered coffee.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the priority of European Patent Application No. 100 126 151.0 filed Nov. 30, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a filter-paper insert for preparing filtered coffee, the filter-paper insert being equipped with a flavoring carrier for altering the coffee flavor.

[0003] The invention further relates to a method for producing the filter-paper insert. Filter-paper inserts of the generic type are known per se.

[0004] To this point, the addition of flavoring carriers for altering the coffee flavor has primarily involved providing a corresponding filter-paper insert with an additional receiving chamber, and filling this chamber with a powdered flavoring whose flavors are released during the filtering process.

[0005] It is also known to produce filter-paper inserts from a filter-paper that is saturated over its entire surface with a liquid flavoring carrier. Filter-paper inserts produced in this manner require a special packaging, and are difficult to handle.

[0006] DE 40 28 492 A1 also discloses flavor inserts for coffee filters, which are disposed inside the coffee filter.

[0007] DE 18 32 952 U describes a filter-paper that is impregnated with vitamins, trace elements or similar supplements.

[0008] It is the object of the present invention to provide a filter-paper insert of the generic type that permits the flavor of coffee to be altered without necessitating special receiving chambers that are to be tilled with flavoring carriers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The above object is accomplished in accordance with the invention in that the flavoring carrier is incorporated into a coating that is applied to the filter-paper insert and comprises a flavoring agent that constitutes the flavoring carrier, as well as a carrier material and a solvent.

[0010] This inventive measure permits a filter-paper insert to be prepared easily to allow a desired change in the coffee flavor without necessitating structural changes to the insert.

[0011] The filter-paper insert according to the invention is used identically to filter-paper inserts with which it is not possible to alter the flavor of filtered coffee.

[0012] The coating applied to the filter-paper, which, of course, solely comprises food-safe components, can be applied to a filter-paper in the liquid state, and subsequently dries quickly, so the filter-paper insert can be used and handled like an untreated filter-paper insert without losing the effective components of the flavoring carrier.

[0013] In accordance with a further concept of the invention, the carrier material comprises starch, preferably modified starch. The advantage of this is that the filtration properties of the filter-paper insert are extensively retained, because the carrier material comprising starch, preferably modified starch, is re-dissolved by the brewing water during the filtering process. Hence, the flow-through speed of the brewing water, and thus the filtration properties of the filter-paper insert, remain practically unchanged, in comparison to an untreated filter-paper insert.

[0014] The coating can be applied arbitrarily to the entire surface of the filter-paper of the filter-paper insert. However, it is also possible to coat only sections of the insert.

[0015] The coating can be sprayed or imprinted onto the filter-paper, or applied to it in some other, practical manner, while in the liquid state, so it is possible to produce the filter-paper insert of the invention with the desired additional advantages as quickly as it is to produce an untreated filter-paper insert.

[0016] Particularly in a cone-like filter-paper insert having two superposed filter-paper layers that are connected by stamped seams, it is advantageous to apply the coating to a finished filter-paper insert.

[0017] The notable advantage of this is that the stability of the stamped seams is comparable to that of untreated filter-paper inserts, and only as much coating material as is required for coating a finished filter-paper insert is used.

[0018] A method for producing a filter-paper insert according to the invention is characterized by the fact that an emulsion is first produced from starch, preferably modified starch, a solvent and flavoring agents. The emulsion is then applied to the filter-paper used to produce a filter-paper insert, or to a finished filter-paper insert.

[0019] An emulsion containing the following components is preferred.

[0020] artificial or natural flavoring agents, or those mimicking natural flavoring agents, or a mixture thereof;

[0021] propane-1,2-diol;

[0022] demineralized water; and

[0023] modified starch with emulsifying and encapsulating properties, e.g., E1450.

[0024] The emulsion is preferably sprayed or imprinted onto a finished filter-paper insert.

[0025] Additional features of the invention are disclosed and discussed.

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1 is a view of a frustoconical filter-paper insert, having a known shape, in accordance with the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a filter-paper insert according to the present invention, embodied in the manner of a circular filter sheet.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a schematically-illustrated cross-sectional region of a filter-paper for a filter-paper insert according to FIG. 1 or 2.

[0030]FIG. 4 is a frustoconical filter-paper insert in accordance with a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the side wall partially cut away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031]FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate filter-paper inserts having known geometrical shapes.

[0032] The double-layered filter-paper inserts in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 4 have an essentially frustoconical base shape.

[0033] Such cone-like filter-paper inserts are the most widely recognized and widely used filter-paper inserts, but the filter-paper inserts 1′ according to FIG. 2, which are in the form of a circular filter sheet, are also frequently used.

[0034] Regardless of the geometrical shape of the filter-paper insert 1, 1′, the inventive feature that sets it apart is that the filter-paper 2 (FIG. 3) used to produce the insert is provided with a coating 3 that essentially comprises a flavoring agent that forms a flavoring carrier, as well as a carrier material and a solvent.

[0035] This coating 3 can be applied to the entire surface of the filter-paper 2 or, as can be seen in FIG. 4, only to certain regions of the filter-paper. The coating 3 dries relatively soon after being applied to the filter-paper 2, so the finished filter-paper insert 1 can be handled and used in the same manner as an untreated filter-paper insert. Nevertheless, the flavoring agents are inherent to the coating 3, and are released by the heated brewing water flowing through the filter when a filtered coffee is made, thereby altering the coffee flavor.

[0036] A starch, preferably a modified starch, is used as the carrier material for the coating 3. water, preferably demineralized water, alcohol or a mixture of alcohol and water is preferably used as the solvent.

[0037] Natural or artificial flavoring agents, or those that mimic natural flavoring agents, or a mixture thereof can be used as the flavoring agents.

[0038] The coating 3 can be applied to the entire surface or specific regions of the filter-paper insert 1, 1′.

[0039] It is also possible to apply the coating 3 to the top side—when seen in the flow-through direction of the brewing water—of the filter-paper insert 1, 1′, as well as to its underside when seen from the same viewpoint.

[0040] The coating 3 can be imprinted or sprayed on; the latter method is especially practical for applying the coating to a finished filter-paper insert 1′.

[0041] In this method, the coating can be applied to the entire surface, or only to select regions, possibly with a graduated concentration of the flavoring. If the flavoring concentration is graduated, the concentration should increase toward the underside of the filter-paper insert 1.

[0042] The coating 3 can contain a liquid or powdered flavoring as the flavoring carrier.

[0043] A filter-paper insert in accordance with the present invention is produced as follows: A starch, preferably a modified starch, a solvent and flavoring agents are combined to form an emulsion, which then is applied to the filter-paper used to produce a filter-paper insert 1 or 1′, or to a finished filter-paper insert 1. In preparing the emulating preferably the flavoring agent is initially mixed with the solvent and the starch stirred into water, preferably demineralized, and then the flavoring agent/solvent mixture is emulsified with the starch/water mixture.

[0044] An emulsion comprising the following components is preferred:

[0045] natural or artificial flavoring agents, or those that mimic natural flavoring agents, or a mixture thereof;

[0046] propane-1,2-diol;

[0047] demineralized water; and

[0048] modified starch with emulsifying and encapsulating properties, e.g., E1450.

[0049] It is especially economical to spray or imprint the emulsion onto a finished filter-paper insert 1.

[0050] The filter-paper insert 1 or 1′ can optimally be finished in a conventional manner prior to the spraying or imprinting of the emulsion; in the subsequent application of the coating to the finished filter-paper insert 1 or 1′, only as much emulsion as is needed for a complete or partial coating of the filter-paper insert is used.

[0051] If the filter-paper insert is only to be partially coated, it is advantageous to moisten the non-coated regions with water during the application process in order to avoid the formation of waves or creases in the filter-paper.

[0052] For the handling of a filter-paper insert 1, it can be practical to keep the upper edge region of the insert, which is usually grasped, free from the coating.

[0053] The invention now being fully described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A filter-paper insert for preparing filtered coffee, and provided with a flavoring carrier for altering the coffee flavor, said inset comprising a filter-paper insert provided with a coating in which a flavoring carrier is incorporated, with the coating including a flavoring agent that forms the flavoring carrier, as well as a carrier material and a solvent.
 2. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1, wherein the carrier material comprises starch.
 3. The filter-paper inside according to claim 2 wherein the stored is a modified starch.
 4. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises water, alcohol or a mixture of water and alcohol.
 5. The filter-paper insert according to claim 4 wherein the water is demineralized water.
 6. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1, wherein the flavoring agent is a natural or artificial flavoring agent, or one that mimics a natural flavoring agent, or a mixture thereof.
 7. The filter-paper insert according to claim 6 wherein the casing material comprises starch, and the solvent comprises at least one of water and alcohol.
 8. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1, wherein the coating is disposed on the entire surface of the filter-paper insert.
 9. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1, wherein the coating is disposed only on certain regions of the filter-paper insert.
 10. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1 wherein the coating is disposed on the top side, when seen in the flow-through direction of the brewing water, of the filter-paper insert.
 11. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1 wherein the coating is disposed on the underside, when seen in the flow-through direction of the brewing water, of the filter-paper insert.
 12. The filter-paper insert according to claim 1, wherein the coating has a graduated flavoring concentration.
 13. The filter-paper insert according to claims 12, wherein the flavoring agent the coating because increasing concentrated toward the underside of the filter-paper insert.
 14. A method for producing a filter-paper insert in accordance with claim 1, comprising initially producing an emulsion from starch, a solvent and flavoring agents, and then applying the emulsion to one of filter-paper used to produce a filter-paper insert, or to a finished filter-paper insert.
 15. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of forming an emulsion including mixing the flavoring agent with a solvent, stirring the starch into demineralized water, and emulsifying the flavoring agent/solvent mixture with the starch/water mixture.
 16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the emulsion contains the following components: natural or artificial flavoring agents, or those that mimic natural flavoring agents, or a mixture thereof; propane-1, 2-diol; demineralized water; and modified starch with emulsifying and encapsulating properties.
 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the starch is E1450.
 18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the emulsion is sprayed onto a finished filter-paper insert.
 19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the emulsion is imprinted onto a finished filter-paper insert.
 20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the coating is applied to the filter-paper insert with a graduated flavoring concentration.
 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the flavoring becomes increasingly concentrated toward the underside of the filter-paper insert.
 22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the coating is applied to certain regions of the filter-paper insert, and the regions that are not coated are moistened with water during the coating process.
 24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the flavoring agent used to form the emulsion is in liquid form.
 25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the flavoring agent used to form the emulsion is in powdered form. 